This proposition would fund improved maintenance and programs of existing parks, including the Zoo; acquisition, development and maintenance of new neighborhood parks, green spaces, playfields, and trails; and out-of-school and senior activities; pursuant to Ordinance 120024. It would lift the RCW 84.55 limit on regular property taxes, allowing $198,200,000 additional taxes over eight years. Up to $23,000,000 could be collected in 2001, that limit increasing 3.1% annually. The 2001 total regular tax limit would be $3.55/$1,000 assessed value. Should this levy lid lift be approved?

On July 10, 2000 the City Council approved a $198.2 million levy lid lift for placement on the general election ballot in November. The ballot measure closely follows the plan forged by the PRO Parks 2000 Citizens' Planning Committee. The annual cost to the average Seattle property owner during the life of the levy (up to 8 years) is expected to be approximately $.35 per $1000 assessed value. It would cost the average Seattle homeowner about $91 per year initially, and will be rise to approximately $112 in 2008.

The 2001 total regular tax limit (all City of Seattle property taxes) would be $3.55/$1,000 assessed value.

The proposal was put together by the Pro Parks 2000 Citizens Committee after a number of studies and plans identified unmet parks needs in the City of Seattle. The committee reviewed those existing studies and land use plans and developed criteria for prioritizing identified needs to be included in this proposal.

In addition to some modifications to the project list, the City Council reduced the original $223 million proposal by adjusting inflation figures, reducing the opportunity fund and acquisition of green spaces, and delaying first year funding for maintenance and recreation for a total final proposal of $198.2 million.

A 16-member citizens committee will oversee implementation.

The proposal has four major funding categories:

• Acquisition of new parks, open space/greenbelts ($26 million)
• Development of parks, playfields and facilities, trails and boulevards ($102.8 million)
• Acquisition and Development Opportunity Fund for projects yet to be identified by neighborhood and community groups. ($10 million)
• Environmental Stewardship, Maintenance and Programming for maintenance for new parks and open space, enhanced maintenance for existing properties, environmental programming, increased recreational programming for youth and seniors, and increased operational support for the Zoo. ($61.4 million)

For:

• The city is rapidly in-filling many of vacant lots with new development. We will lose the opportunity to save green and open space, if we don’t tax ourselves to save it now. We need to give more emphasis to increasing the quantity and retaining the quality of our parks and open spaces in Seattle.
• The project list is based on review and prioritization of projects already identified in parks and open space studies and land use plans.
• Parks budgets are always the last ones increased and the first ones cut in any city budget crunch. The inclusion of maintenance funding recognizes that we cannot add new parks without also recognizing maintenance costs. The proposal also includes a responsible mandate that the city must annually appropriate funds to the parks budget through 2009 to increase funding for maintenace and operations in anticipation of the end of the levy lift the following year.
• The levy funds are “new” parks money and cannot be use for supplanting (i.e. this new money is in addition to existing funds and cannot be used to replace existing funds to be used for non-parks purposes.
• There is an Opportunity Fund for new projects which might be identified in the future.
• Accountability will be provided by a 16-member Parks and Green Spaces Levy Oversight Committee.

Against:

• Many of Seattle’s major parks and Woodland Park Zoo are used by King County residents. They should also be paying the taxes for maintenance and improvements, not just Seattle taxpayers.
• Maintenance of parks should be paid for from the city’s general tax revenue. This measure should only include capital investments and land purchases.

• Taxes are too high! Neighborhood park funding in the package was cut in half by the Council. Citizens should not have to pay extra for a basic governmental service. Parks are not a priority like public safety or health services that need to be funded.

This appears to be a well thought-out proposal advanced by thoughtful citizens. It is based on previous work to identify Seattle’s needs for parks, recreational facilities, open space and greenbelts. While one might quibble about specific projects on the list or some specific aspect of the process, the overall effort appears to be very credible. Deletion of a project from the project list will take a supermajority of the Council (3/4 of the members). The Acquisition and Development Opportunity Fund will allow unidentified needs or unexpected opportunities to be addressed.

The ballot measure would provide a source of revenue for a period of eight years to carry out the proposed improvements as opposed to a typical 10-20 year measure to support the issuance of property-tax backed bonds. One reason for the levy lid lift is the inclusion of funding for maintenance which is not allowed under bonding authority. The regular property tax levy lid limits are established by statute, but voters may approve a levy limit above the lid.

Assurance that the project list will be carried out as approved by voters is provided by the requirement for appointment of a 16-member citizen oversight committee. The process for appointment and composition of the oversight committee should ensure diversity of geographic representation and interests. The oversight committee is given a broad range of responsibilities related to the implementation of the ballot measure.

The proposal also seeks to address the issue of parks maintenance. Typically, this is a budget item that is among the first to be cut during lean budget years. After years of cuts and failure to restore funding, the public investments in parks and open space can be eroded by neglect. The levy ordinance requires that the levy funds be new parks money and not be used to replace existing parks funding which can then be used for other purposes. In addition, under the Environmental Stewardship, Maintenance and Programming category (Section 4.D.) the ballot measure requires the City to “appropriate annually through 2009 for park and recreation purposes, from sources other than the additional taxes authorized pursuant to this ordinance,” at least $55,529,044 to the parks budget. The idea is that maintenance and program funding for existing parks will be increased considerably by the end of the 8-year levy lift. What remains in question is how will maintenance for the new parks properties acquired under this ballot measure be funded? It is hoped that in the process of adopting the funds to increase maintenance funding for existing parks properties that the City will thoughtfully address and prepare for funding of maintenance and programming of the new parks properties.

Recommendation: The Municipal League of King County recommends to Seattle citizens a “yes” vote for this thoughtful proposal to preserve existing and develop new parks, open-space and recreation facilities in the City of Seattle.

For more information

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• City of Seattle Voting Guide - Has statements for and against, official ballot and title and full text
• Neighborhood Parks, Green Spaces, Trails and Zoo Levy - Official Information from City of Seattle